Comments on Nathan Bransford, Author: Novel Word Count

Hi my name is Ashleigh and I am 13 years old. I a...

2012-02-16T22:29:45.834-08:00

Hi my name is Ashleigh and I am 13 years old. I am going to be a racecar driver. I am very sports oriented and I am in the middle of two novels. One is about a snowboarder who is accused of cheating.
the plot is finished, but it needs to be lengthened because I want it to be a full length novel. The other is about a racecar driver who is nervous about being sponsored by a big company. I am trying to develop the plot. I was wondering if you had any suggestions.

Get a current copy of Writer's Market. It will...

2012-01-27T00:08:23.729-08:00

Get a current copy of Writer's Market. It will list the agency's requirements.

Ok, so you all are both feeding and relieving my s...

2012-01-03T11:18:12.794-08:00

Ok, so you all are both feeding and relieving my sudden word-count paranoia. I now have a sudden urge to estimate the wordcount on all my favorite successful books as a sort of reference for mine.

I've just finished a total re-write on my second (written) Epic Fantasy novel. (I'm unpublished, but I got a LOT of practice on the first one.) My impression (honest & brutal as I can be on myself) is that everything I include in this version is necessary... but I just don't know for sure. It's 190,000 words, in 3 parts, 21 chapters--by the wordcount feature of Microsoft Works, although it unfortunately counts the page breaks as 3-9 words each.

I intend the book to be first in a trilogy/series, but now I realize it could be a trilogy by itself... if I padded it. I spent a year trimming it, so this seems counter-productive. Is just under 200,000 an awful lot in a situation like this? I'm about to start querying agents and I am TERRIFIED of messing up this crucial part of the process. It'd be a crying shame to lose out because of word-count biases; but then again, I could just be long-winded. I can't really know.

Found this useful, thanks. I'm currently worki...

2011-11-08T00:26:48.566-08:00

Found this useful, thanks. I'm currently working on an adult novel. On 58,000 words and should end up about 80-90, assuming I don't lose the plot.

Also really like the cover of your book and the title... :)

One hopes there is a middle ground, though an agen...

2011-07-16T15:29:02.722-07:00

One hopes there is a middle ground, though an agent probably looks at word coumt before proceeding to the query. I have a theory that the big time agents have assistants who are trained to reject based on word count before their boss has a chance to look at it the query. I am at 129,000 and cutting, but whatever happened to "show, don't tell"?

Yeah - I'm down 36k now, and falling. Revision...

2011-04-07T20:33:28.900-07:00

Yeah - I'm down 36k now, and falling. Revisions are hellish. Tightening the prose - always a good thing. However, I'm not much of a "Mcbook" writer or reader. Even in news articles, My specialty is the "feature" length. I suppose one needs a few Sistine Chapels in the world, along with Horneman's miniatures. Can there not be merit in both?

This has to be one of the first blogs about word c...

2011-04-01T23:44:57.958-07:00

This has to be one of the first blogs about word count that didn't leave me writhing on the floor in a seething morass of figurative pain. I wrote a book before reading anything about publishing, querying, and all those other -ing words that make me want to cry. At the time I simply wanted the story out of my head, where I could stop thinking about it and have a little internal peace and quiet (which I have since learned is a ridiculous expectation- I just replaced one story with three others that are similarly noisy). Then, in the process of researching query letters, I discovered the wonderful world of word counts. Foolish first time writer that I am, I thought you just wrote until the story was done. I figured, some stories are long, some are short, most are in-between, and if it's truly good length won't matter much. But I have been educated, so I checked the count on the MS tool. Gasp. 185,000. I am now in the process of sharpening my machete and lopping off a sizable chunk; still, while the MS will be the better for some pruning, I am not entirely sure I can get this puppy to the recommended 110,000 or less. Painful. Very painful. But probably necessary. That said, it is nice to hear that anything over 100,000 words is not the automatic kiss of death, either.

I have a monster novel I'm trying to reduce (3...

2011-03-23T14:03:19.789-07:00

I have a monster novel I'm trying to reduce (300k - computer wc), but don't want to go less than 200K to 250K, due to nature of involved plot, large cast of characters, etc. Will my nonfiction background (news reporter, feature writer, etc.) be of any help? The book setting is my specialty area - middle east. It's an allegory of sorts incorporating old-style genre techniques of bodice-ripper style romance, Rambo-type action adventure, the old-style western, etc., but NOT genre fiction.
Do I have more leeway on the word count? If I had to classify it as this point, more of a thriller-geo-political-romance?
I find your blog very helpful!

The whole concept of word count is frustrating. I...

2011-03-21T00:14:57.873-07:00

The whole concept of word count is frustrating. I know it is important to the publisher and should be paid attention to by the writer, but I also know if one lets the word count control the book it will. I wrote an epic fantasy and without editing it is at 69,889 word count. I know after editing this may change and most likely will but I feel after many revisions that I love my book. I just hope the right agent will too even with a word count like this.

I have the sweaty hands of a girl who's just l...

2011-01-24T12:49:10.746-08:00

I have the sweaty hands of a girl who's just learned that her YA novel at 84,000 words may not be for YA readers at all, but for "upper middle grade" --since there is no sex or violence and the protagonist is on the cusp of turning 13. But my word count may be much too long for the MG (at 84,000). I'm finding some relief with your belief, in telling a story, the word count shouldn't matter. The story is a mystery and has paranormal influences as well as some political references to unpopular beliefs. ?? Any advice. Thank you--Oh, i will be entering your first paragraph contest-ha!

I got a completed novelette written, but I can'...

2010-10-10T12:24:00.216-07:00

I got a completed novelette written, but I can't seem to figure out certain things about making a manuscript. Would a work be automatically rejected if I hired a ghost writer to due the manuscript?

Let's say you revise your epic novel into 4 no...

2010-08-01T07:22:58.246-07:00

Let's say you revise your epic novel into 4 novels at about 80,000 words each. In your query, do your hook and synopsis relate the whole story or just book 1? You know the agent has to sell your #1 first. How do you weight the info on #s 2, 3, 4?

Couldn't agree more with you about the focus o...

2010-07-27T12:18:08.536-07:00

Couldn't agree more with you about the focus on novel lengths. While I believe you should aim for a general target for you genre, I find the length of the book is dictated by how the book works out. They have a life of their own and sometimes finish in surprising ways and lengths.

In anticipation of a response, I wanted to ask thi...

2010-07-04T09:33:48.097-07:00

In anticipation of a response, I wanted to ask this...
If confronted by a publisher that only accepts a certain number word count and one's novel is twice that, is it wise to create a sequel and submit only the first half as a first part in said sequel, indicating there is a second part?
Or, would it be better to send the entire draft regardless of the acceptance level?

Commercially it would be more profitable on the up side.

You mention that acceptance of a first novel is ba...

2010-07-02T03:22:47.251-07:00

You mention that acceptance of a first novel is based on word count due to shelf space, yet many authors that have had success in the past have books with 250k word count, i.e. Rowling, and these are kids books. What I'm trying to say is that, what is the difference in word count acceptance based on first novels alone. Does it have more to do with the fact that you're a greater marketing risk?

Ha, I said that, but I'm still paring my novel...

2010-06-02T17:33:32.960-07:00

Ha, I said that, but I'm still paring my novel down. Still, content is most important.

my that's just fantastic, everything I never w...

2010-05-25T18:43:18.787-07:00

my that's just fantastic, everything I never wanted to know about word count, all in one place, thank you all so very much. I agree with comments highlighting my conflicting amusement and trepidation. Just wanted to quote McCartney for fun: It's a thousand pages, give or take a few.
I'll be writing more in a week or two.
I could make it longer if you like the style.
I can change it 'round,
And I want to be a paperback writer

If the point has not already been hit home hard en...

2010-05-06T19:03:41.426-07:00

If the point has not already been hit home hard enough:

What matters most is CONTENT. Don't wory so much about word count. My first novel, an epic action/drama sprinkled with contemporary fantasy which will be the first in a series of four books, has just over 165,000 words, and yet each and every one of those words is, I feel, necessary to the telling of the story and the examination of its many, many characters.

Here's what I advise: only write a novel with over 150,000 words if your prose is exceptionally good. Nobody wants to read a long, drawn-out book with stale descriptions and whatnot. Make your pages come alive, and the reader will stay tuned for the long haul. I would.

I've written a novel where the word count is j...

2010-04-14T19:23:01.937-07:00

I've written a novel where the word count is just over 150,000 words. I know!! Whoa is right. I went through and took out a few scenes which although I thought helped the story, cut it down to 142,000. I'm pretty confident that it's a good read. It's a paranormal/teen/romance thing that would appeal to the same readers that liked the "Twilight" books (no, no vampires in there at all) Should I even bother to send this out or what?

Love this blog! it makes me laugh and feel sick al...

2010-03-31T14:12:54.053-07:00

Love this blog! it makes me laugh and feel sick all at the same time. And here's why. I have just finished a fiction MS that has gotten some pretty nice thumbs up responses from some independent readers...but, and it's a big but- the mother clocks in at about an un-edited 460k word count, and I could easily write more!! Soooo, what do you think? Two books in one? or the next great trend-setting tome? Everytime I sugest cutting something my wife says "NO! I love that part!" Now this thing IS going to be carved, either into two, or one big one, because I can not for the life of me see how the same level of story is going to happen if it gets cut to 100k words...somehow. thank you for your time!

sorry for the typo... who WILL dive in.. multitask...

2010-03-24T18:16:24.797-07:00

sorry for the typo... who WILL dive in.. multitasking and confused at this word of publishing!

I am about two weeks from finished with the histor...

2010-03-24T18:13:51.626-07:00

I am about two weeks from finished with the historical fiction novel of King Tutankhamun and his wife. My word count is 188,000 aprox, but I deeply enjoy each and every one of those words. I have not found my agent yet. Do you have any suggestions for how to represent myself and find an agent who dive in to my work and help me publish it?

Wow! Talk about hitting a nerve. I am currently on...

2010-02-27T20:37:30.968-08:00

Wow! Talk about hitting a nerve. I am currently on the last chapter of a sci-fi/horror novel that is at 133K words. I do make the mistake of editing as I go (can't help myself), so there has been some trimming. I am a huge fan of say more with less (this post notwithstanding), but I will have to decide if some sections are really necessary to the story or do I just like killing people? I would be done if I stopped surfing the net.......

I'm writing the first of 7 books in a series o...

2010-02-10T10:03:54.751-08:00

I'm writing the first of 7 books in a series of sc-fi/fantasy novels for middle grade (they don't fit into either genre completely so I'm going to have fun trying to explain them to the agent) and I'm aiming for a nice round 100k to begin with. Once I'm happy enough that it's good content, I'll look at anything else that's needs trimming to smarten it up. At that stage it's hack and slash time and I have to br brutal! I always end up cutting bits and pieces out during editing, so I'll probabaly end up with something in the high 80-90k range for the finished product. Not sure if it helps anyone else, but that process seems to work for me.

I tried re-writing my first novel because it was &...

2009-09-10T13:16:52.988-07:00

I tried re-writing my first novel because it was "too-long". I tried elliminating characters and events and made a terrible mess. I made a second attempt and again created a mess.

I put it away and wrote another novel which was not so big.

My wife loved the first one and insisted I go back to it.

I went back, decided to keep all the characters and events in place, but tried trimming it a bit and it grew about 400 words.

So I find Nathans site, he says he doesn't worry too much about size (whew that is a relief) as long as it's not over 150,000 words. Yikes! I'm at arond 164,000 words.

So, who has the list of agents that WON'T automatically reject a manuscript on size?

Or (drum roll please)...
Should I send out the first 120,000 words, hope to get them hooked and then offer them the ending?

Fortunately, my second book won't take long to finsh revisions, I guess I'll just keep sending querries on the first. As long as I keep to e-mail, there's no cost.